DIY Herb Planter Box

At the end of the summer it is so rewarding to have a big harvest full of veggies, but after that it is hard to grow food over the winter, especially in Portland were it rains all year round. Yup, I just looked out the window and it started raining .

Herbs are the answer! They are easy to grow and can be done inside so you still have something to fresh to snip off. I usually put mine in the kitchen so I can easily grab some and throw it in a pan. Herbs can be fun, delicious and they can add to your decor when placed in a herb box.

I chose to purchase a box that was already stained a darker color, but you could use a lighter box and stain it yourself.

Start by cutting out the stencils to make your chosen word. Wipe down the box so you are working with a clean surface. Measure your box are mark the middle with a small pencil mark. Tape the center letter in your word to the middle of the box. Tape the remaining letters around it to form your word. Double check by measuring that your word is in the middle of the box.

Using the stencil brush or the sponge brush carefully apply the paint while pressing down the stencil. I painted a phrase on both sides. On one side I painted “grow” and the other “herbs”, get it? Grow herbs!

I painted “grow” with the stencil brush and “herbs” with the sponge brush. Both came out pretty similar with the sponge brush being a little more rough looking. If you want a really clean look, you can use adhesive stencils

Allow the paint to dry completely and carefully remove the stencils.

Before you place your herb in the box it is best to line the bottom with plastic. That way any water that falls through during watering won’t cause mold.

Measure the size of the inside of your box. I am all about the low cost on projects like this so I used a ziplock bag, but any plastic will do. If you are using a ziplock bag, cut down the sides of the bag it make it bigger before cutting. Cut out the plastic and place on the bottom of the box.

Put your herbs in the planter box. I was able to fit three small potted herbs in my box; chives, sage and thyme. You can also plant the herbs directly in the box by filling it with dirt and transplanting the herbs or starting from seed.